Several studies set out to explain the presence of high proportions of photooxidation products of cis-vaccenic acid (generally considered to be of bacterial origin) in marine environments. These studies show that these oxidation products result from the transfer of singlet oxygen from senescent phytoplankton cells to the bacteria attached to them in response to irradiation by sunlight. This paper summarizes and reviews the key findings of these studies, i.e., the demonstration of the process at work and the effect of different parameters (intensity of solar irradiance, presence of bacterial carotenoids, and presence of polar matrices such as silica, carbonate, and exopolymeric substances around phytoplankton cells) on this transfer. A large part of this review looks at how this type of alteration of bacteria can affect the preservation of algal material in the marine environment, especially in polar regions where conditions drive increased transfer of singlet oxygen from sympagic algae to bacteria.
Keywords: algal material preservation; attached bacteria; carotenoids; mineral matrices; oxidative damage; phytodetritus; singlet oxygen transfer; solar irradiance.